Grayheart
by KALovejoy
Summary: Artorias Grayheart has no team to call his own and no friends to speak of, Having known pain and hate in it's rawest form now he just wants a friend to help make the pain bearable. I wish I could tell you this story has a Happy ending, I wish I could tell you It all works out. But that would be spoilers, and I don't do spoilers. First time writing on this site, I hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

I awoke like I always do, screaming from the same nightmare I have had since I was thirteen. Always in a cold sweat and gasping for air as I prayed that I didn't wake anyone up. I looked down at my palms hands, my right one shaking like a leaf and the cold lifeless metallic intimation of the left one (the arm was ripped right out of the socket by a monster known by many to be a Death-stalker). I clenched them tightly as I swore under my breath. I looked around the empty room, I was the only soul in there, had been for weeks and it depressed the fuck out of me. I sighed as I grabbed my scroll off the nightstand to see what time it was, the screen lit up like a gas station fire blinding me as if it were a flash-bang. I winced at the pain, but as soon as it came it was gone. My eyes readjusted to the new blinding light, I grounded as a six and two zeros appeared on screen followed by an 'A' and a 'M'. I pulled what remained of the bed sheets off of the lower half of my body. Sitting up I turned myself so my feet touch the carpeted floor, I stood up and stretched as a yawn escaped my mouth. Tossing my scroll onto the bed I sluggishly moved myself in the direction of the bathroom, once inside I flipped on the light once again blinded for a moment, thought not nearly as bad as with the scroll. I leaned in on the counter-top just over the sink to look at the mirror to gaze at the face of someone still trying to wake up fully.

The face was that of a nineteen year old boy who looked average enough, truth be told he looked a hell of a lot like his father say for a few things. Two greenish brown eyes looked back at him underneath a pair of gray eyebrows. His hair was an unkempt mass of gray that looked like he had a rough night of tossing and turning in his sleep, now at first glance this boy look human enough but atop his head sat two pointed gray wolf ears giving him a grand total for four, one on each side of his head and two inhuman like ones on the top. I sighed as I turned away from the mirror to the bathtub I set it up for me to take a shower and waited until the temperature was warm enough to relax me but not warm enough to make me fall back asleep. I pulled my pajama pants down to the floor stepped out of them and into the shower closing the plastic curtain behind me as to not get water everywhere. The warm water cascaded down onto my scarred body, I still remember what I did wrong to deserve them. But I didn't want to think about that now, all I wanted to do was clean myself off, get dressed and go get breakfast.

I got out of the shower sometime later and grabbed a towel from the rack near the tub shaking my head wildly as I did to dry my hair. Drying myself off I made my way to the now fogged up mirror, I put my had up to it and began wiping away the condensation that had gathered on the glass in a circular motion until I could see my face again peering right back at me.

I sighed and took a deep breath, "My name Is Artorius Gregory Grayheart," I said to the man in the mirror "and today is going to be a good day." I then slapped both my cheeks and smiled. "Okay let's do this!"


	2. Chapter 2

I tied the towel around my waist as I made my way out of the bathroom, some light was now coming into the room from the sun beginning to rise. Looking outside I saw a beautiful red sunrise, then I remember the old saying my uncle taught me; " _Red sky at night sailors delight. Red sky in the morning sailors take warning."_

"Guess I better take warning then." I thought aloud as I made my way over to my dresser and got dressed in the school uniform. Then I made my way way over to my nightstand where a lone gray leather glove and a red bandana laded. I slided the glove onto my left hand and tied the bandana over the top part of my head to hide my wolf ears. I picked up the scroll laying on my bed to check the time, it was now 6:50 am. I could hear noises coming from the room next to mine a dorm that belonged to an all girls team if I remember correctly, something that begin with a 'R' I think, but i digress. To me it felt like the walls were paper thin, I could hear everything as if I was in the same room as them.

"Come on Weiss time to wake up!" one begged.

"Nooooo, five more minutes please." another gowned.

"Ruby, why don't you go on ahead and save us a table." a third voice voice suggested.

"But what about Weiss?" the first responded

"Don't worry, Yang will make sure she gets up." the third voice replied.

"Never mind i'm up!" a now fully awake second voice said.

"Ha haaaa, Weiss *wheez* Weiss ha ha haaa you should have *wheez* you should *wheez* you should have seen the *wheez* look on your face!" the first voice has in hysterics and laughing her ass off!

"I have to admit it was quite comical" the third voice giggeld.

"Oh grow up you two!" the second voice huffed.

A door opened and a fourth voice chimed in "Wait what did I miss, did the ice queen do something funny?"

"YANG, put some clothes on!" the second voice demanded in a flustered tone of voice.

"Why, you afraid you will see something you like?" the fourth asked in a seductive tone of voice.

"And with that I am of to secure a table in the cafeteria." the first voice sighed.

And with that I stopped eavesdropping and made my way to the door to exit the room. I pulled on my size 13 shoes and made my way out into the hallway. Turning to face the right side of the hallway which lead to the stars, I was greeted by a short redheaded girl wearing a red cloak over the female uniform. She was short had to be about five foot two, compared to her I would look like a giant at six foot six. I walked up to here as she closed her dorm room door. 'Well here goes nothing' I thought.

"Good morning!" I said as I raised my right hand to greet her.

She yelped in surprise and disappeared to a flurry of rose petals and reappeared down the end of the hall near the stars looking quite startled.

I started to giggle "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to startle you or laugh at you," I took a breath "but that has to be the funnest way so say good morning to some…" I didn't get to finish my sentence as instances took over. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, I turned myself to face the room the girl came out of holding my arm up in a crossguard potion not even a millisecond later a fist engulfed in a flame like aura burst through the door with more destructive force than a wrecking ball. The punch hit me square in the center of my crossguard, I was knocked right of my feet and into the air. I only caught a glimpse of my attacker, she had long wield blond hair and glowing red eyes, 'My gods she is beautiful!' was the only thought I had, the next one how ever was 'OH SHIT' as I crashed through the door one the opposite side of the hall. Needless to say the door barely slowed down my momentum, I still hit the ground had enough on my back to knock the wind out of me with a loud 'OOOAF'. I scrambled to my feet and ready myself for a fight, quickly glancing around the room I was happy to see that it was empty after all this was not uncommon due to the fact that breakfast is served at seven and if you wanted something you had to get there fast. My eyes now wondered to my attacker, she was taller than the first girl I ran into, the only clothes she wore was some black bike short and a gray sports bra that could barely hold back her… well you know what I mean.

"YANG WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU!?" the silver eyed girl yelled at the blond beauty, whom I assumed was named Yang.

"What I thought someone was attacking you sis! That's why I…"

"Punched a hole through your door in hopes of hitting your sister's attacker." I chimed in as I walked ford.

"YEAH what he said!"

"That still doesn't give you the excuse to punch a huge hole in our door and send someone who was just trying to say good morning to me through team JNPR's door!"

"Oh come on it's fine!" I said nonchalantly as i grabbed a hold of the doorknob. "Look I will bet you five lin that this door still works!" I turned the knob and the rest of the door can crashing down. The three of us just stood there speechless.

"Pfffft…. Ha ha ha ha you ha ha you own me ha ha ha *wheez* five… five ha ha five lin!" the short one burst out laughing.

"So who do I make the check out to?" I asked trying my hardest not to laugh.

"Sorry, ha ha, I guess we never got a chance to introduce our self to one another." she said as she wiped a tear from her eye and extended her hand out for me to shake. "Ruby, Ruby Rose. And you are?"

"Artorias Grayheart, friends call me Artie." I said as i grabbed her outstretched arms forearm and began to shake it. "It's a pleasure to meet you ."

"Um that's not how a handshake works."

"It is if you grew up in Far Harba!"

"You mean harbor?"

"That's not how locals pronounce it."

"Uh… Okay and this is my sister Yang."

"Sup." Yang said with a nood.

"Are you sure her name is not _BANG_ because of what she did to the door."

Yang giggled and Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Hey Rubs do you know what time it is?"

"Um sure sis let me check." Ruby dug into a pocket for her scroll.

"Yeah I would kind of like to know that too, because last I checked it was…"

"It's six fifty five!"

"No that's… wait… It's six fifty five right now?"

"Yes"

"Oh shit!" I cursed as I made a mad dash to the stars, I heard Ruby running right behind.

"Hurry, before all the good stuff's gone!"

"Why the hell do you think I am running!"


	3. Chapter 3

Me and Ruby arrived at the cafeteria just seconds before the doors opened, and like every morning before this one it was pandemonium.

It was about two minutes before Ruby and I got our desired breakfast items, she had some chocolate-chip pancakes and eggs while I got home fries and sausages, and to drink the both of us got milk. Ruby found herself a table and at first I was hesitant to join her, not because she was a girl or someone I just met like less than ten minutes ago, but because I was just genuinely bad at socializing with people.

'Oh come on just sit with her!' A voice in my head rang out. 'We both know you don't have anyone else to sit with!'

"Hey Artie!" Ruby's voice rang out breaking me out of my thoughts. "You can sit with me and my team once they get here if you want."

"Uh… Thanks Ruby, but ummm…" I was a bit hesitant at first, but then I thought to myself 'Fuck it, just sit with her!'. "You know what that sounds good!"

I took a set next to Ruby and not long after a group of four showed up and sat across from her. Looking up from my meal I studied them carefully, two boys, two girls one of which I instantly recognised as Pyrrha Nikos, which means the other three were her team mates, which also means that this was team JNPR, and that means the door I got punched through belonged to them. 'FUCK!'

"Hey Ruby." A blond haired man spoke.

"Morning Jaune." she replied as she gestured to him.

"Good morning RUBY!" A ginger haired girl sang out in a bubbly and energetic tone of voice.

"Hey Nora."

"Morning." Pyrrha and a raven haired boy both said at the sametime.

"Hello Pyrrha, Ren."

I felt four pairs of eyes fall on me.

"Um excuse me?" the blonde boy spoke up. "Who are you?"

'The guy who got punched through your door' I thought.

"Oh right!" Ruby spoke up before I even had a chance to. "Guys this is Artorias."

'Well this is embarrassing. Not only did someone just introduced me to four new people, the person who is introducing me to them I myself meet less than ten minutes ago!'

"Artie this Jaune…"

"Hello." the blonde said as he wave at me, I waved back as a friendly gesture.

"Nora…"

"Ufgh… What?" the ginger haired energy ball said with a mouth full of flapjacks.

"Ren…"

"Greetings." The raven haired boy said as he reached across the table to shake my hand, I grabbed his arm just above the wrist and gave him a firm handshake. Once done he pulled his hand back slowly with a quizzical look on his face.

"...And that's Pyrrha."

"Nice to meet you."

"Right back at ya. By the way just call me Artie for short." I said as I took a bit out of a sausage that was impaled in my fork.

No sooner had I returned to eating my meal than a voice in a commanding tone rang out from behind me; "Who is this!". Truth be told, it is had to sneak up on me due to my hearing, but in a place like the cafeteria I have to tune almost everything out so I don't go crazy from the unbelievable amount of noise, same goes for the smells too. I turned to see A girl with white hair and a scare over her left eye looking at me with an agitated look on her face, a faint smell of dust was coming off of her. In my head I put two and two together, white hair and smells faintly like dust she has to be a Schnee. To say I didn't have a good view point towards the Schnee family would be an understatement, what with how badly they treat their faunus workers and their stuck up attitude acting as if the world owes them everything, they just pissed me off like most people I have meet from Atlas. Then I remembered that there were rumors going around a Schnee was coming to Beacon as a first year, but not just any old Schnee, but the Heiress to the company itself, and from doing my research I knew the next in line was a girl named Weiss.

'This must be her.' I thought as I turned back around to take a swig of milk. 'Let's see if we can have some fun with her.'

"I would have thought an Heiress would be more well mannered than this." I scoffed

"I beg your pardon!"

"Don't you know it's rude to not introduce yourself first when you walk up to someone? Well given the fact that we are currently having this conversation I guess not."

"Why you… I'll have you know that I am Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. And you would do well to remember that mister…"

"See now that wasn't so hard now was it. Well I mean If you get rid of the formalities and the attitude you come across as more likable. Oh, and it's Grayheart by the way, Artorias Grayheart. Just call me Artie, everyone does." I looked back over at Weiss, she was now visibly flustered and if our roles were reversed I would be the same way right now. "Aw hell. Look, I am sorry for giving you such a hard time even though we just met. I just don't always think before I say things, okay. So how about we start over and take it from the top… deal?"

Weiss's face looked like she had no clue what to do now, I mean someone she has never met before is rude to her and then apologies out of nowhere? She finally gave a defeated sigh.

"Fine." She then extended her left hand out for me to shake. "Weiss, Weiss Schnee. And you are?"

I took off the glove covering my prosthetic left hand and shook her hand in the normal 'Far Harbar' fashion.

"Artorias G. Grayheart," I said with a grin as I pulled my hand away. "At your service."

Weiss's eyes looked like they were about to pop right out of her skull, I turned to look at Ruby who had almost the exact same face.

"You have a ROBOT hand!?" she said in awe.

'No no no no no no, why did I take off the glove, it was the polite thing to do but why did I do IT!'

"Well it's more like my whole arm." I stated nonchalantly.

"That's so COOL!" Nora chimed in.

"What's 'so cool'?" Yang appeared from behind Weiss with another person following closely behind her. I noticed two things; firstly that Yang's eyes were now a nice smooth purple color, and secondly, the girl behind her had the scent of a faunus! She had golden cat-like eyes and long black hair with a bow atop her head, I assumed she was wearing it to cover up her faunus features much like what I was doing with my bandana.

"Yang! Artie has a cool robot arm!"

'Don't snap.' I thought

"Wait what?"

'Don't snap!'

"That's so cool!"

"Cool? You think this," I grabbed my left shoulder. "Is 'cool'?" My whole body began to shake slightly as I remembered the pain of my arm being ripped off by a grim.

'Don't cause a scene! Don't cause a scene!' my mind was screaming at me through images of the event flashed in my head.

Nora snorted "Well, duh!"

I was now shaking like a leaf in an Autumn storm as the pain of having my arm torn from the socket kept repeating in my head, over, and over, and over again, and again.

"Whoa Artie, are you okay? You're not looking so good!" Yang said as she placed the hand on my shoulder. And then all the pain slowly faded away as she pulled me out of the abyss just by touching me, reminding me that the past was the past.

"I'm fine." I took a deep breath to calm myself. "I'm okay. Thank you, Yang."

"Are you sure about that, I mean you look really pale." It was a new voice this time, I had to look behind Yang to see source of it. I recognised the voice though, I have heard it in Ruby's room a lot though, and so this has to be the 'B' in team RWBY. Her golden eyes were studying me, in fact she seemed slightly on edge.

"No, no really I am fine. I was just remembering how I got this…"

"Awesome robot-arm!?" Nora butted in.

I sighed "Look it's not 'cool' and it's not 'awesome', so can we please stop talking about it. I mean it's kind of embarrassing!"

It was Ruby who first apologised. "I sorry Atrie, it's just that…"

"You have never seen someone with a prosthetic arm before, I understand. It's just kind of an… Al-ARM-ing subject for me." I know the pun was bad and at my own expense, but I just had to lighten the mood some how, plus I just couldn't resist.

Yang burst out in laughter while Weiss just groaned and mumbled something that sounded like; "Oh great, now there's two of them!" thinking I wouldn't hear.

"Anyway bad pun aside, I never quite got your name." I gestured to the girl standing behind Yang.

"Blake." She simply replied.

"Artie."

Silence fell over the table as we all went to work eating our food before the bell rang at seven thirty, giving us a warning that classes started in an half an hour.

"So, Artie…" I looked up from my meal with a mouth full of homefires to see Pyrrha who broke the silence. "Tell us a bit about yourself, like where you're from."

I held up a finger as I took a swig of milk to wash down the homefires. "Well there's not really a lot that I am comfortable sharing with people I've just meet, even though you guys seem nice I have been wrong about that before and I payed the price. So I hope there are no hard feelings, right?"

"That's fine, just tell us what you want to tell us."

"Well let's see here… I come from Far Harbar, If you haven't heard of it, It's a large island port town famous for the thick fog that covers the island all year round, brutal winters, the grim that can be found there but not anywhere else, and what else… Oh how could I forget; the hot springs!"

"You're starting to sound like a tour guide for the island." Yang joked.

"Well I hope I do, my family helped found the damn place."

"Wait, really!?" Ruby asked with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yeah, my great great great grandpa was the first one who even dared to settle there."

"Wow, thats a lot of 'greats'." Jaune said.

"Heh, I guess that is a lot. I don't know the whole story, for that you would have to ask my Grandpa Gerhman."

"You mean you're 'Ger-pa'?" Yang joked.

"You know it's funny that you say that, because that is actualy what I call him!"

"No way! Really, that's funny!" Yang and I began to laugh at the coincidence.

Just then the bell rang out startling me, and hurting my ears, all four of them.

"Well that's my cue to get out of here." I stated as I began to stand up "I was good meeting you guys. Maybe we can talk again later?"

"Don't you have your own team?" Nora asked.

And with that I went back down into the deep dark pit of depression that I thought I had escaped from today.

"Nora!" Ren berated her as he elbowed her in the gut.

"I wish I still did." I mumbled.

"What was that Artie?" Ruby asked with a concerned look on her face.

"Oh nothing, just thinking outloud." I responded with a fake smile painted on my face "Look I will see you guys later okay." and with that I just left hoping they would not ask anything else as I walked away.

It was now raining outside as I exited the lunchroom, but I didn't care, I just started walking to the dorms. Truth be told, the classrooms were closer, but after that shit-show at the end there, I just did not care. Once in the dorms I took the elevator up to my floor, I could have taken the stars but I just didn't have the energy to. I walked past team RWBY's and team JNPR's room, the doors still destroyed and in splinter all over the floor. Unlocking the door to my room I made my way to the nightstand next to my bed, Inside it's one and only draw was a prescription pill bottle. I opened it and fished out two white capsules and dry-swallowed them, then I made my way over to a mini-fridge in the corner of the room and pulled out a soda can. Opening it I took a sip to help the pills go down if they got stuck in my throat, I then chugged the rest of it hoping that the caffeine in it would give me some energy, no such luck. Making my way out of the room I dragged my feet along to the common room, I was hoping noone was there so I could rest in peace, I could have done that in my room but I just had to get out of there. I was in luck, the common room was devoid of life, with a sigh I slowly made my way to an armchair. Sitting down in it I pulled out my scroll and some earbuds, I plugged them in and went to my music folder and selected a song, and just layed back and let myself fall asleep to the music.

 _The song playing on the scroll was "Hurt" by Johnny Cash_

I hurt myself today

To see if I still feel

I focus on the pain

The only thing that's real

The needle tears a hole

The old familiar sting

Try to kill it all away

But I remember everything

What have I become

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know goes away

In the end

And you could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

I wear this crown of thorns

Upon my liar's chair

Full of broken thoughts

I cannot repair

Beneath the stains of time

The feelings disappear

You are someone else

I am still right here

What have I become

My sweetest friend

Everyone I know goes away

In the end

And you could have it all

My empire of dirt

I will let you down

I will make you hurt

If I could start again

A million miles away

I would keep myself

I would find a way

( _Songwriters: Trent Reznor_

 _Hurt lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd._ )


End file.
